Wednesday, May 25, 2011

I was going to do three paintings of the same apple... UNTIL I found out how difficult the plate was going to be. Meanwhile, I spied the plant I had done, and it was sitting on top the table. I liked the angle, so I decided on that instead. I don't know if it makes a very good composition, but I decided to post anyway.... tee hee !!!!

Monday, May 23, 2011

This was a vintage plate I bought to put into our antique mall booth. I thought the apple would look cool on top... The green glass was hard to capture, especially with the filagre design it had. Keep pushing the envelope.. I'm just sayin'

Thursday, May 19, 2011

I used a very dark maroon ground for this one. It was a painting that I painted over, and because it had some darks in it, I had to make the ground really dark. Well, it wasn't quite dry, and kept mixing with my new colors, so I had to apply the paint really thickly. A whole different look, but at least it's looser, the way I've always CLAIMED to be wanting to GO !!
I'm not sure it will even ever dry, because I just remembered, I had varnished that other painting underneath !! ha ha !!!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Peonies used to be my favorite flower. I still love them, but they never stay for long, and when you bring them inside, they are always filled with ants !! Difficult in their subtly to paint. Easier for the well defined Stella Doro daylily !

Monday, May 16, 2011

This is the last of my iris... I only have a handful of them, from the previous owner. The times I've planted them they Never came up. I discovered that I had planted them too deep, which is often the problem people have with them. It's hard to keep them in place when you just literally place them practically on top of the soil. They tend to fall over, and not stay-put ! Does anyone have any good suggestions for this?
By the way, these babies are really hard to paint ! ha !

Saturday, May 14, 2011

I gave these little purple flowers to the baby girls (while sitting in their carseats to leave, yesterday) but alas, each of them had an ant jump out of it, and try as I might to get them shooed away, I missed both of them. Well, the plants stayed here, and with the girls freaking out when they see a bug, I was glad they didn't have an 'ant incident' on the way home, and have to stop on the highway to find the culprits !!! (the girls are 4 and 2, and really spot every bug !) ha !
I liked the way these looked, and decided to paint them, instead. This is the first time I've used my 'ground', which in this case was dry, for my background, and didn't paint over it.... I like it, I like it !!!

Friday, May 13, 2011

I posted these, but Blogger got messed up, and I lost the post... so here goes.
Yesterday I found these in the front yard, and it was so cool to get a set up arranged, without ever getting out of my pajamas. I used the Permanent Rose that Brenda Ferguson suggested, and got a really cool color, not as much like Alizarin Crimson as I thought it would be...
I see Permanent Rose in my future... ha ha !

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

I found these in the yard this morning. Wow, great to find something so cool to paint and not even have to get out of your pajamas... h a ! Well, I started them, went for coffee with friends, and ran some errands. Before dinner, did a little of the color, too, then when I came back after American Idol, the petals were all different... they had all shifted... how dare them ! well, I got them finished at 11:30 and hope they look alright. I had to guess on the finishing touches, because of the changes that have occurred. (Well, at least I hope James wins this Idol thing !) I voted tonight, for the first time !!! Go James !

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I went into the studio this morning, early, and lo and behold.... the bud I'd painted was still there, but, of course, it had opened... Instant set up for the next painting. This time I did the background more accurately to the actual one.
Finished it after playing 9 holes of golf with my son's girlfriend. Haven't played for a couple of years, but I didn't embarass myself, and we had a really fun time ! (that's usually all I can hope for on the golf course... ha !!)

Monday, May 9, 2011

Thought this blossom was so pretty out in my backyard. The bush is fuller with blooms this year than I ever remember in the past.
Had fun with family at the annual Laumeier Art Show for Mother's Day. Hope everyone had fun with their families !

Sunday, May 8, 2011

I've been buying so many special plants for the pots on my deck.... I love to have it look good, but it costs a bundle ! I bought this little one to plant with my jade plant that I painted awhile back. I brought it in and thought I'd try it. It was fun to paint, with all the subtly of values...

Saturday, May 7, 2011

I don't know what possesses me sometimes. this was the hardest flower I've ever done. It has so little definition, and it is so unusual shaped that it's hard to make it believable. Yet I try... ha ha !
It did like the end result though. Something about the overall shape of the stem and it's relationship to the flower. Love that pink, too !!!
Brenda, I got some permanent rose, and I'm dying to try it... Winson Newton color, right?

Friday, May 6, 2011

This is all that remains of my tulips. The other blooms are from a couple of bushes I found on sale at the end of last season. I can't remember what they were, but they had originally been priced at 18.99, and I found them for .50 each. !! Possibly my best bargain EVER ! tee hee !!!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

I've been wanting to try this striped towel ever since I saw Jean Townsend's blog. She always does such a wonderful job, her paintings and ideas are inspiring. Thanks, Jean... visit her blog, and check it out !
http://www.jean-townsend.blogspot.com

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Bought some pears yesterday. Hard to find any with much 'character'-- cause I guess there are various varieties, and not all of them are so attractive. Anyhoo, I tried to use the Daily Paintwork challenge method from a few weeks back.... Mixing up a different color for each brushstroke. It's hard to make yourself do that, and not 'fuss' with it, of course. The bowl gave me fits anyway. trying to maintain the elliptical shapes and get the values right, too. I only did the challenge on the pears and the background.

Monday, May 2, 2011

I found these at the Farmer's Market this morning. It was soooo cold, and I didn't have a jacket, so I had to look FAST, and there wasn't too much to work with... I was a little unsure, since these were such a deep maroon. I didn't know how well they'd read in the painting. I do like the resulting contrast, though.

Daily Paintworks

Welcome to my Daily Painting Blog

I started a painting-a-day assignment on Sept. 11, 2010. As a retired art teacher I've set this challenge for myself to create self-discipline, and loosen my painting style. Going to the studio now has become a regular and necessary activity. I've enjoyed pushing myself to create interesting still lifes on the canvas.